Telerehabilitation vs. Conventional PT for Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

NCT07630805 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: P.T.REC/012/006508
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 42
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders affecting approximately 25% of active young adults, and it is frequently associated with persistent anterior knee pain, functional limitations, and reduced quality of life. Despite the widespread use of conventional face-to-face physical therapy, many patients experience barriers related to accessibility, cost, and long-term adherence to rehabilitation programs

Conditions

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Keywords

Telerehabilitation; Conventional Physical Therapy; Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome; Hybrid Telerehabilitation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Pain intensity

  The pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), where patients rated their pain at rest and during movement over the previous week on a 0-10 cm scale, with 0 indicating no pain and 10 representing unbearable pain. Pain scores were recorded before and after the intervention. Interpretation of clinical relevance often goes beyond statistical significance, and the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for pain intensity on the VAS has been investigated in a range of musculoskeletal conditions

  up to 6 weeks

• Knee function assessment

  Knee function will be evaluated using the Kujala Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS), which is a condition-specific, self-administered questionnaire designed to assess pain severity and functional limitations associated with patellofemoral pain syndrome. Participants will be asked to complete the questionnaire independently by responding to 13 weighted items that address symptoms and difficulty during daily and sports-related activities that load the patellofemoral joint, including walking, running, stair climbing, squatting, jumping, and prolonged sitting with the knee flexed

  up to 6 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Dynamic knee valgus assessment

  up to 6 weeks

• Quadriceps muscle strength assessment

  up to 6 weeks

Study Arms (3)

Hybrid Telerehabilitation

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants allocated to the Hybrid Telerehabilitation group will receive a combination of face to-face and remotely supervised exercise sessions over the 6-week intervention period. Face-to-face sessions will be used for comprehensive movement assessment, hands-on instruction of new exercises, verification of correct technique, and progression of exercise intensity and resistance. Remotely supervised sessions will be conducted using a secure video-conferencing platform (e.g., Zoom), allowing real-time visual monitoring of exercise execution and provision of verbal and visual feedback by the therapist. Camera positioning guidelines will be provided to ensure adequate visualization of frontal and sagittal plane lower-limb alignment during exercises, particularly during closed-chain and functional tasks.

Other: Physical Therapy Approaches

Telerehabilitation

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the Telerehabilitation group will complete all 18 exercise sessions (3 sessions per week for 6 weeks) remotely without attending in-person clinic visits. All sessions will be supervised synchronously by the same physical therapist using a real-time video-conferencing platform (e.g., Zoom). Before the start of the intervention, participants will receive standardized instructions regarding camera placement, exercise space setup, and safety considerations to ensure accurate observation of movement quality during training sessions.

Other: Physical Therapy Approaches

Conventional Physical Therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants assigned to the Conventional Physical Therapy group will receive all 18 exercise sessions through traditional face-to-face supervised treatment at the outpatient physical therapy clinic. Sessions will be conducted three times per week for six consecutive weeks, under the direct supervision of a licensed physical therapist. This model represents standard clinical practice for the management of patellofemoral pain syndrome and allows continuous monitoring of exercise performance, immediate correction of faulty movement patterns, and direct verbal feedback during training. During each session, the therapist will ensure correct execution of both hip- and knee focused exercises, reinforce appropriate lower-limb alignment, and adjust exercise intensity and resistance according to predefined progression criteria.

Other: Physical Therapy Approaches

Interventions

Physical Therapy Approaches OTHER

All three groups (Hybrid Telerehabilitation, Pure Telerehabilitation, and Conventional Physical Therapy) followed identical exercise progressions over 6 weeks (3 sessions/week, 18 sessions total) targeting proximal hip and knee strengthening. Exercise dosage, intensity, and progression remained standardized across delivery modes to isolate rehabilitation method effects. The exercise program will progress through three phases to allow gradual restoration of strength, control, and functional ability.

Conventional Physical Therapy; Hybrid Telerehabilitation; Telerehabilitation

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Participants must have a prior clinical diagnosis of PFPS made by an orthopedic physician, which was then confirmed and verified by the principal investigator through physical therapy assessment. The diagnosis is characterized by anterior or retropatellar knee pain aggravated by at least one activity that loads the patellofemoral joint during weight bearing, such as stair climbing, squatting, running, or prolonged sitting.
• Participants aged between 18 and 35 years.
• Insidious onset of anterior knee pain with a duration greater than 12 weeks.
• Experienced a minimum pain level of 3/10 on a visual analogue scale (VAS) during activity within the previous week.

You may not qualify if:

• Participants meeting any of the following conditions will be excluded from the study:
• Individuals with previous knee surgery, fracture, ligament reconstruction, patellar dislocation, osteoarthritis, meniscal injuries, inflammatory joint disease, or other conditions that may mimic or contribute to anterior knee pain.
• Participants with neurological, cardiovascular, or systemic musculoskeletal disorders that may affect gait, strength, or exercise tolerance
• Pregnant women will be excluded due to potential alterations in joint biomechanics and safety considerations during exercise interventions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cairo University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Egypt

Giza, Egypt

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Teaching Assistant

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 2, 2026
• First Posted: June 5, 2026
• Study Start: May 20, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 1, 2026
• Last Updated: June 5, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Locations

EG (1)